Data present in a vehicle are intended to be retrievable by a user outside the vehicle. A remote control of vehicle functions by a user outside the vehicle is preferably also intended to be possible. The user has a mobile communication device available for this purpose, for example a Smartphone or a different mobile telephone. The mobile communication device communicates wirelessly with a communication module in the vehicle. The latter serves as an interface to control units in the vehicle and is part of a control unit or is connected to a control unit. The control unit is, in particular, a braking control unit which is connected to the vehicle's own data bus system (CAN bus or other) and with which functions in the vehicle are controllable. The control unit receives data from allocated sensors or via the vehicle's own data bus.
Only selected and uniquely identifiable users are intended to be able to connect via the mobile communication device to the communication module of the vehicle. An authentication is required. This is possible, for example, in that the communication module of the vehicle operates as an access point (server) for a local radio network (WLAN, IEEE-802.11 standard). The user can dial in to the local radio network with a WLAN-enabled mobile telephone provided that the user knows the data required for establishing the connection or has even already stored the data in his mobile telephone.
At a depot with a plurality of vehicles, vehicles are used progressively by different users so that the data required for establishing the radio connection remain in different mobile telephones. A user can progressively connect with his mobile telephone to the communication modules of different vehicles. Mistakes can easily occur in relation to the currently existing connection to a specific vehicle. Substantial damage can thus occur in connection with the remote control of functions of the vehicle.
Access to the communication module of a specific vehicle is intended to be configurable as easily as possible. It may thus be appropriate to allow specific connections only at specific times of the day or on specific weekdays. A unique allocation between the vehicle on the one hand and the mobile communication device on the other hand which is transparent to the user is also intended to be provided. Finally, the establishment of the connection must be as simple as possible for the user.